Korean J Intern Med.
2017 Jan;32(1):62-66. 10.3904/kjim.2016.224.
Is islet transplantation a realistic approach to curing diabetes?
- Affiliations
-
- 1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea. kwkim@gilhospital.com
- KMID: 2365978
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2016.224
Abstract
- Since the report of type 1 diabetes reversal in seven consecutive patients by the Edmonton protocol in 2000, pancreatic islet transplantation has been reappraised based on accumulated clinical evidence. Although initially expected to therapeutically target long-term insulin independence, islet transplantation is now indicated for more specific clinical benefits. With the long-awaited report of the first phase 3 clinical trial in 2016, allogeneic islet transplantation is now transitioning from an experimental to a proven therapy for type 1 diabetes with problematic hypoglycemia. Islet autotransplantation has already been therapeutically proven in chronic pancreatitis with severe abdominal pain refractory to conventional treatments, and it holds promise for preventing diabetes after partial pancreatectomy due to benign pancreatic tumors. Based on current evidence, this review focuses on islet transplantation as a realistic approach to treating diabetes.
